15 Best Lightweight Access Points in 2024

Affordable and high-quality lightweight access points.

To connect your computer, smartphone, or tablet to the network wirelessly, we recommend using a wireless access point (WAP). The most commonly used protocols for WAP are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. To transfer data between the network and a device, the wireless access point connects to the router or network.

If you need to use the Internet, both wireless access points and routers come in handy. For smooth operation, many users are looking for the best lightweight access point. If you also need such a device, check this overview.

Total Speed: 300Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11b/g/n

The TP-Link N300 2T2R wireless router from Linksys is considered to be a very versatile piece of technology because of the number of radios and wireless channels that it supports. One of the best things about this lightweight wireless access point is that it comes with a very comprehensive user manual, which contains information not only on how to set up the wireless network but also several guides on how to protect it.

The first thing that you should know about the TP-Link N300 2T2R is that it can connect to more than one wireless router. You can connect it to one router while keeping the others turned off. This means that you can also have wireless access even when your computer is turned off. This wireless access point is also an affordable choice, but Ethernet port is only 100mbit which negates the full potential of 802.11n.

Total Speed: 1300Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11a, 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b

With the TP-Link AC1750 EAP245, you have a small, lightweight wireless access point that has most of the features that are needed to manage your wireless LAN without the hassle of a large device. The small size is great for tight spaces or when you need to use the wireless remote on a daily basis. The ease of operation is another great feature of the EAP package fromTP-Link. Once the wireless network is setup, there is a simple point and click system to set up the wireless LAN. All that is required is a password and the auto-link to allow the wireless router to connect to the various wireless devices.

The pros of this system include being able to configure a password to gain access to the wireless LAN, auto-link, weatherproof remote control and weatherproof transmitter and receiver. The cons of this system include fact that Facebook check-in captive portal requires the controller, limited radio channels and no Mains plug.

Total Speed: 300Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11bgn

The ASUS N300 RT-N12-D1 is a great piece of equipment, for what it does. It's not the most powerful or the flashiest wireless access point you'll find, but if you need a lightweight wireless access point for your personal use, this one will do the job.

With the wireless setup on the ASUS N300 RT-N12-D1, you have wireless internet without the wires and cables. With a traditional wired setup, you either have to deal with connecting up cables, which can be time consuming, or connecting up wires, which can be messy. Really, if you are going to be using your laptop for other functions, it might be more convenient to just hook up the laptop to the point instead and not have to worry about wires at all.

Total Speed: 2033Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11ac

The Ubiquiti UAP-NANOHD-US lightweight wireless access point is a very sleek and efficient piece of network equipment. At first look the device may appear to be a wireless router with wireless cards preinstalled, but upon closer inspection it is actually an extremely lightweight access point that features a small form factor and can be placed anywhere in your home, office or building.

As with any product you purchase, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using Ubiquiti products. The advantages to using Ubiquiti products are mainly focused on wireless network reliability and portability. You can place the point in one location and immediately begin working with multiple computers in different locations without having to reconfigure your wireless network. This is a benefit, particularly if you have several employees sharing a single network at a time. Main cons are only one Ethernet port and the case gets hot at the bottom.

Total Speed: 2067Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.11ac

The NETGEAR WAC 104 lightweight access point offers high performance at a low price for businesses requiring ubiquitous and affordable wireless for all enterprise applications. The WAP-PCI dual band wireless router offers the same security as the standard WAC that is available in the market. For a more user-friendly and efficient support, the WAC104 can be managed by NETGEAR Insight software, with no requirement for additional hardware to be installed.

This wireless router has a compact size with key features and easy installation. It is also available at low cost with free two-year technical support and free onsite network backup. This wireless access point supports MSAQ and LSI protocols and can connect to MSAQ and LSI VPN servers. But some consumers have a need in range that could be much better for that price.

Total Speed: 1750Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11ac

If you're looking for a lightweight access point with all the features of a wired network or LAN card, the NETGEAR R6700 wireless PCAP should be one of your top choices. This award winning device is great for small business to medium-size office network as well as for home use. Even though it's a little pricey compared to other wireless AP's on the market, the pros definitely outweigh the cons when it comes to performance.

The pros of this lightweight access point are great 802.11ac speeds, fast NAS/Storage performance and easy install but the cons includes facts that it has unsatisfactory throughput speeds on the 2GHz band and high price. If you looking for best lightweight access point then the NETGEAR R6700 is right choice for you.

Total Speed: 450Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11bgn

The TP-Link N450 TL-WR940N wireless access point is one of the most efficient and economical lightweight access points available in the market today. It is based on the WLAN principle, which means that it can be used anywhere that an internet connection is available. This device is also very useful in providing a mesh network, which will allow for the connection of multiple devices to the same wireless LAN.

One of the main features that make the device so great is its compatibility with Windows. This means that this device connects to a Windows based computer system just like a normal WLAN card would connect to a Windows based machine. Although this feature may sound like a plus for some, others find that it limits their mobility by preventing them from accessing certain types of software that are designed to work on wireless LAN cards.

Total Speed: 1317Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac

Ubiquiti's UAP-AC-LR-US lightweight access point has many features that make it a great choice for many home wireless network locations. Ubiquiti claims that this is the best combination of wireless hardware, software and accessories that you can find anywhere. The wireless access point is a single unit that contains the transceiver and all the hardware required to connect to wireless networks.

The pros of Ubiquiti UAP-AC-LR-UC are that it is the best configuration and offers the least amount of clutter. It is a single unit with all the required hardware and software contained inside and is easy to install. It also has an automatic power distribution, which provides extended battery life and longevity. Another pro is that it is very light, it is just over 3 inches long and weighs less than one ounce.

Total Speed: 1167Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11 B/A/G/n/AC

The Ubiquiti Unifi AP AC Lite wireless access point is a great choice for budget-conscious deployment of lightweight access points. It gives users the ability to combine Wi-Fi and cellular service with their existing data service providers. The Ubiquiti Unifi AP AC Lite can also be used in conjunction with ATA adapters, which give users a single interface for both wireless and wired data applications. Ubiquiti's Unifi AC Lite gives the user a cost-effective alternative to traditional WLAN solutions.

The Ubiquiti Unifi AP AC Lite wireless access point is Ideal for budget-conscious deployment of low-cost, high performance wireless networks. It can be used as a stand-alone access point with its built-in wireless adapter or integrated with other devices, such as wireless printers, keyboards, USB flash drives, webcams, and video monitors. Main cons are no network cable included and overheating.

Total Speed: 2530Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n

Linksys has brought the best of wireless internet solutions to market with their Linksys Business LAPAC2600 Pro lightweight access point. This system offers all the features one needs to improve productivity in business setting and make life simpler. However, it does have a few cons that we will now look at. They includes 2.4 GHz band rate is subpar and it has no external antenna.

Also you must know that Linksys is not just any wireless access point; their system is also a combination of wireless LAN service (WLAN) service along with their own small form of AP. In a lot of ways, this system can be compared to a wireless PC card alone. If you looking for best lightweight access point then the LAPAC2600 Pro is right choice for you.

Total Speed: 1170Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac

The Linksys Lapac 1200C is a fast, reliable and affordable option for any business owner seeking an affordable option to lightweight access point . One of the cons of using it is that you briefly lose signal between access points and no extra Ethernet ports to plug other devices into. One of the best features of this wireless access point is the built in security. With a password, you can control who has access to the wireless LAN.

This means that even if there are kids in the house or the neighbor's kids are using your wireless point there is no way for them to get into it. If you want to connect to your network, just access the password option and then you can give access to the family (including the children) as you would expect. You can also set the password so that it cannot be accessed by anyone else.

Total Speed: 300Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11bgn

Securafi Almond wireless access point has all the features one would expect from a modern wireless access point. It is made of the best of materials to make it an effective, lightweight access point. It has two antennas and it is equipped with two transmitters for both radio and data transmissions. The one antenna can be positioned anywhere in the property line that connects you to the modem. If there is no wireless router installed on the property, this wireless access point will work well for that purpose.

The Securifi Almond wireless access point is also a very light weight device.This makes it an easy to handle and convenient wireless device. It is also easy to install and configure and it has a very short range for connecting to the wireless router. Howewerit has middling throughput performance in testing.

Total Speed: 300Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11a/b/g/n

TP-Link N300 TL-WR802N is a new small form factor lightweight wireless access point that provides wireless internet connectivity for both notebook computers and laptops used in small businesses. This affordable small wireless access point comes with several unique features that set it apart from most other wireless access points.

One of the biggest advantages of this wireless access point is its compact form factor. Setting up the device is quick and easy as there are no complicated instructions to follow. You simply connect the device to a nearby power source and connect up to eight other wireless computers or laptops. Main cons are the facts that its not the fastest router which has not the best WiFi range. All in all if you looking for best lightweight access point then the TP-Link N300 is right choice for you.

Total Speed: 1350Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11b, 802.11n, 802.11g

The AC1350 lightweight access point is a product from TP-Link which offers uncomplicated and user-friendly installation of wireless network at homes or offices. This wireless adapter has been equipped with a variety of features that are compatible with the various operating systems like windows, Linux and MAC. It is a compact device that can be easily connected to a broadband modem or router. It is capable of connecting to a WAN computer or router, either by SSID or on its own.

The wireless network can be configured in a matter of seconds. The cons includes fact that it uses defaults to unsecured SSIDs. Howewer it has strong management features and if you looking for best lightweight access point then the TP-Link AC1350 EAP225 is right choice for you.

Total Speed: 1000Mbps | IP Rating: IP65 | Connectivity: 802.11bgn

Ubiquiti Networks Enterprise AP Unifi is a Wi-Fi lightweight wireless access point that is easy to set up and use. This product is especially designed for corporate environments since it can work in a way that other wireless access points cannot. This is because of its advanced security features that include WPA support, wireless encryption, and smart cards embedded with the network configuration. Aside from that, the device is very lightweight and compact.

This wireless router has several benefits that make it more popular compared to other wireless routers. One of its great features is its wireless encryption feature that works both on the wireless network and the local network. As you go through its review, you will find that it works well in wireless networks where wireless security is critical. Another feature that it has is its WPA support that is a protection from unauthorized access to the wireless network.

If you are searching for the best lightweight access point, read our review to learn what parameters to consider:

Wireless routers use the IEEE standard. This standard has the 802.11X indicator. However, sometimes X can be replaced with g, b, n, or AC. These letters at the end of the name indicate the wireless standard that WAP uses. Typically, the latest devices come with AC power, while older models use the "b" indicator.

Similar to the way wireless routers work with one or two bands, a wireless access point works with single or dual radios. They support 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies. The standard affects the quality of data WAP delivers with radio transmission. Unlike WAP that can have one access point with “b” and “g” standards, “n” and “AC” devices can deliver better results. We recommend using WAPs with “b” standard for the old device interfaces and choose an AC alternative for newer units.

Since wireless access points strive to deliver a strong and reliable network, built-in antenna is an important feature to pay attention to. Typically, devices come with one of two antennas – internal and external. Make sure an antenna is attached correctly and is properly set to prevent tampering. You shouldn’t ignore antenna technology since this aspect directly affects the power of signals throughout the network.

MU-MIMO stands for Multiple User Multiple Input Multiple Out. This option is available in almost any modern WAP. Older versions came with single-user MIMO. Such devices interacted with only one device at a time.